Self-adjusting bow dividers



I 0V. l, 3924 J. R. ENGERS SELF ADJUSTNG BOW DIVIDERS Filed March 31 1921 Gif/7- Patented Nov. lS, i924.

JOSEPH ROLLIN ENGERS, OF AKRON, OHIO.

SELF-ADJUSTINGr BOW DIVIDERS.

Application filled March 31, 1921.

To all whom z5 may concern:

Beit known that l, Josnrrr Encres, a citizen oi the United States, and a resident of Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Self-Adjusting Bow Dividers,ot whichthe'following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to measuring instru ments, andit consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

Anobj'ectY of my invention is to provide a bowl divider that is self adjusting in that the legs thereof will lalways remain in paral lelism and perpendicular to a line drawn between the ends thereof.

A further object of my invention. is to provide in a single device means for performing the functions ordinarily requiring the. use of a plurality of separate tools.

A further object lont my invention is to provide a combination tool or' the type described that is `capable ot use as inside calipers, outside calipers, hermaphrodite calipers and as dividers or Compasses.

A further object' of my invention is to provide a device ot the type described that is relatively simple in construction and operation, not likely to get out `of order easily,

and. thoroughly practical commercially.

@ther objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features oit the invention will bepar ticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accom.

panying drawings, orming'part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a viewl in elevation of a device embodying my invention, and Figure 2 is an enlarged view partly in section of the equalizing mechanism.

In carrying out my invention, l provide a pair of identical arms 1 and 2 pivotally joined to one another at 3, their adjacent end portions being enlarged and curved as indicated at t for engagement with an angle equalizing member 5 that is ordinary in construction and is mounted on a handle 6. The angle equalizing member automatically maintains the handle 6 in position to bisect the angle supplementary to the angle subtended between the armsy 1 and 2.

In Figure 2 l have illustrated the equalizing member 5. member consists in Serial No. 457,393.

a leaf, substantially as shown in they figure, having an arcuate groove 30therein. This leaf 5 arranged to straddleA the handle sup porting member 31,'as shown at 32,.a.nd has a recess 33 in its lower edge to clear the pivotal joint 3 of the arms 1 and 2. The arm '2 is provided with an inwardly extending lug 34: which is partially received in the slot 30. i

llhe arm 1 is provided with a lug. 35 also partially received in the slot 30.' These lugsk 34e and 35 are somewhat circular in cross section and are diametrically opposed from` one another when the legs 1 and 2.are in the" position shown in Figure 2 when the device is closed.V When the arms 1 and 2- are open to their full extent, as shown in Figure 1, the lugsl 34 and 35 contact with one another. It is essential that the arcuate slot' 304 bey constructed with a greater radius than the radius between the center pivotal point 3 and the peripheral edge of the curved por tion i ofthe legs 1 and 2. This structure causes the leaf 5 to be elevated as thelegsl and 2 are moved apart' from one another and at all timesthe leaf assumes and main'- tains a' deinite-relation to the lugs 34 and* 35, which relation causes theleat 5 at all times to Alie in a planebisectingv the` adjacent-sides of the legs 1 and 2. Since the leaf 5' assumes-this position,` it is apparentthat the supporting member 31 andthe handle 36- `will also assume the same position, since these members are held in position b v the leaf 5.

livoted at 7 and 8, respectively, to the` arms 1 and 2 at the remoteendsthereot are precisely identical branchesV or legs 9 andl 10J The handle 6 is formed' with an integral longitudinal extension 11 to its lower end and obviously this extension will automatically be maintained in position to bisect the angle subtended by the arms 1 and 2. Auxiliary arms 12 and 13, which are identical with one another and with the arms 1 and 2 in essential respects, connect the branche-s or legs 9 and 10, respectively, with theextension 11 so that the auxiliary arm 12 is parallel with the arm 1 and the auxiliary arm 13 is parallel with the arm 2. The auxiliary arm 12 has a pivotal connect-ion at 14 with the extension 11 and a pivotal connection at 15 with the branch or leg 9, the distance between the points of connection 14; and 15 being equal to the distance between the points of connection 3 and 7 of the arm 1 so that the distance between the points 3 and 141 is equal to the distance between the points 7 and 15 and the branch or leg 9 will always be parallel with the extension 11. Similarly, the auxiliary arm 13 has pivotal connections at 14 and 16 with the extension 11 and the branch or leg 10, respectively, so that the latter will always be parallel with the extension 11 and therefore with the branch or leg 9.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. It will be observed that the arms 1 and 2 and the branches or legs v9 and 10 are straight members. The legs 9 and 10 extend below the points of connection with the auxiliary arms 12 and 13, the integral lower portions 17 and 18 being equal in length. The portions 17 and 18 may be formed to render .the device embodying my invention capable of various uses. In the present instance, the portions 17 and 18 have been reduced at corresponding points as at 19 and 20, respectively, and each is provided with like diametrically opposed contact points 21-21 and'22-22 and may have the tips thereof tapering to points as at 23 and 24. The contact points 2121 are alined with the contact points 22-22. Since the legs 9 and 10 are parallel with each other and with the .extension 11 to the handle 6, they will always be perpendicular to a line drawn between the tips 23 and 24: and need not be moved into perpendicular positions when the device is used as dividers, as is necessary when ordinary dividers are used. The device therefore provides a means with which a draftsman or mechanic can do work more quickly and accurately thanis usual when the ordinary instruments are used.

The device illustrated embodies the contact points 21-21 and 22-22 and obviously can therefore be used in performing the work ordinarily requiring the use of a plurality of separate instruments, such as inside calipers, outside calipers, hermaphrodite calipers, and trammels.

bviously, many modifications and adaptations of the form of the device shown and described herein can be provided and I therefore consider as my own all modifications and adaptations of the device that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in the foregoing speciiication and outlined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A combination tool comprising a handle, a pair of straight legs, eaci being formed at one end to provide a point and with diametrically opposed laterally extending contact points at a spaced vdistance from the pointed extremity thereof, and means connecting the legs with the handle for maintaining the legs parallel with each other and with the handle and perpendicular to a line drawn between the pointed ends of said legs.

2. A device of the character described comprising an elongated handle having an extension extending longitudinally thereof, a pair of arms pivotally connected at one end and joined to said handle at their point of connection with one another, a pair of straight legs pivoted to the arms at the remote ends thereof, each leg being formed with its free end adapted to engage work, means carried by said handle and engaging with said arms for equalizing the angles between said handle and said arms respectively, and auxiliary arms disposed parallel with said first named arms, one of said auxiliary arms having a pivotal connection with one of said legs at a spaced distance from the free end thereof and a pivotal connection with the extension to the handle and the other of said auxiliary arms having a pivotal connection with the other of said legs at an equal distance from the free end thereof and also having a pivotal connection with the extension to the handle, whereby the legs are maintained parallel with each other and with the extension.

JOSEPH ROLLIN ENGERS. 

